GSA Official Admits Accepting Bribes and Stealing Government Property

GSA Official Admits Accepting Bribes and Stealing Government Property

Timothy Francis Cashman, a Building Manager for the General Services Administration (“GSA”), admitted today to an almost decade-long conspiracy to accept bribes and steal property owned by the United States. In doing so, Cashman acknowledged using his position with GSA (overseeing operations and maintenance at the Otay Mesa, San Ysidro, and Tecate Ports of Entry) for his personal enrichment; rather than to fulfill GSA’s core mission of delivering “the best value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to government and the American people.”

As revealed in Court, Cashman admitted that in return for providing favorable treatment relating to the awarding of GSA contracts, he corruptly demanded that government contractor Hugo Alonso Inc. (“HAI”) give him $10,000 in cash and perform thousands of dollars’ worth of construction and renovation services on Cashman’s personal residence. These services included having HAI paint Cashman’s Lakeside home and replace his roof and windows free of charge.

The former GSA building manager also admitted demanding that HAI pay another government contractor (Company “A”) $120,000 in exchange for HAI being awarded a GSA construction contract at the Otay Mesa POE. Subsequently, Cashman accepted six checks from Company “A” totaling $42,000, which he deposited into his personal account. All of the income he received from HAI was concealed from the IRS when submitting his federal income tax returns.

In addition to accepting bribes from HAI, Cashman also detailed in Court how he improperly obtained thousands of dollars in valuable United States Government building materials for his own benefit by causing GSA contractors and others to remove and transport such materials away from GSA facilities where he could sell or use them without the knowledge of GSA. For example, Cashman instructed government contractors: (1) in March 2011, to load approximately 25 stainless steel panels located at the San Ysidro POE into his personal Ford truck; (2) in January 2012, to load 35 heavy brass letters (spelling out “United States Border Inspection Station” and weighing approximately 2,000 pounds) into his personal truck; (3) in December 2012, to collect approximately 3,000 feet of underground copper cable belonging to the United States and to deliver it to, among other places, his personal residence; and (4) in November 2013, to set aside for his personal sale a large quantity of underground copper cable and approximately 5 aluminum panels located at the Otay Mesa POE.

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy said, “This defendant abused his position of trust for many years and the taxpayers paid the price. Combatting public corruption will remain one of my office’s highest priorities.” She also thanked the Special Agents with the FBI, IRS-CI and GSA-OIG whose tireless work both uncovered this corruption and resulted in removing the corrupt official from the government fisc.

“Mr. Cashman admittedly undermined the process of fair and open competition when he conspired to accept bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative government contracts,” said IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez. “The IRS is committed to aggressively investigating those individuals who engage in corruption, fraud and deceit designed to satisfy their greed.”

“When a public servant like Mr. Cashman abuses his position and fails to conduct the public’s business in an honest and ethical manner, it undermines the public’s trust in government,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Eric S. Birnbaum. “When that happens, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will work together to restore the public’s trust by aggressively investigating and holding accountable those individuals who would abuse this trust for their own personal gain.”

“GSA employees who take bribes and steal from the U.S. government will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said GSA Acting Inspector General Robert C. Erickson.

The FBI encourages the public to report allegations of public corruption to our hotline at (877) NO-BRIBE (662-7423).

HAI, and its principal, Hugo Alonso, have previously pled guilty and been sentenced. Cashman is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel on August 7, 2015 at 8:30 a.m.